A look at the lighter side of the London Games
New Zealand flag bearer Nick Willis had a Dutch team official to thank for sparing his blushes in front of hundreds of millions of television viewers at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics.
The Beijing 1500m silver medallist was immensely proud to carry the flag into the Olympic Stadium but also immensely grateful when the official in the Netherlands team marching ahead of them pointed out the zipper on his trousers was not done up.
"Right before going into the stadium with the flag, a Dutch official pointed to my open fly!" he tweeted.
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An appearance by the hapless comic character Mr. Bean was one of the highlights of the London Olympics opening ceremony.
Yet a series of Keystone Cops moments has games organisers hoping they don't keep up this slapstick routine in real life.
London police have admitted that last week they lost a set of keys to Wembley - one of the most famous soccer stadiums in the world and an Olympic venue in London - and had been forced to hastily change the stadium locks.
Police confirmed the Wembley keys appeared to have been lost rather than stolen.
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A Brazilian tourist in London for the Olympics was helping sports fans by selling his unwanted tickets for no profit when he was arrested for touting, a court has heard.
35-year-old Cezar Navajas told the court he sold three unwanted beach volleyball tickets for roughly the amount he paid for them after seeing people outside the Olympic site with signs begging for tickets.
The South American admitted a charge of illegally selling tickets, but his lawyer said he didn't intend on making any profit and just wasn't interest in the event as Brazil wasn't competing.
The judge fined him £300 anyways.
Tunisia may have missed out on its first medal at the London Olympics because of bad maths.
Weightlifter Khalil El Maoui was in second place of the men's 56-kilogram competition after the snatch on Sunday but never showed up on the platform for the second lift, the clean and jerk.
He blamed his coach afterward for submitting an entry weight that was 10 kilograms too high.
"It was a mistake," El Maoui said.
"I should have started lifting at 148 kilograms but my coach entered 158 kilograms by mistake."
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Sailor Stevie Morrison said he hopes to emulate the world-conquering success of The Beatles when he takes to the water in the 49ers - and has Sir Paul McCartney on his side.
Morrison's boat is called Lovely Rita - also the title of a Beatles tune - and Sir Paul has sent a personal message of good luck to the Briton and partner Ben Rhodes.
"He's a genuine legend, he's right up there, so that was really cool, if a touch surreal," Morrison posted online.
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Ryan Lochte has closed the gap on Michael Phelps both in the pool and on social media.
Lochte checked his Twitter count on Monday to discover he was only trailing Phelps by roughly 55,000 followers.
"Over 400,000 followers? That's crazy! Thanks to everyone out there who is following me," he posted.
"That's really cool."
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A Brazilian who won Olympic bronze in judo accidentally broke his medal when he took it to the shower with him.
Now his fight is to have it replaced by the International Olympic Committee.
Felipe Kitadai said he was carrying the medal everywhere he went and decided to take it to the shower as well as a joke, but ended up dropping it while trying to keep it from getting wet.
Kitadai said part of the medal that holds the string broke and as such he now can't wear it around his neck.
Kitadai won the bronze in the men's 60-kilogram division.
The Brazilian Olympic Committee says it will request a new medal even though it knows the IOC has no obligation to give Kitadai another one.
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Sir Paul McCartney and other top performers waived their habitual large fees and played for a token pound at the Olympics opening ceremony in London.
London's Games organising committee says the nominal fee was paid to the ex-Beatle, as well as Mike Oldfield, rapper Dizzee Rascal and others for contractual purposes, after they had all offered to appear for free.
It means that the star names were paid less than one-twentieth of the cost of the cheapest ticket for the ceremony, where the best seats cost £2,000.
Many of the dancers and actors contracted to take part were paid the professional rate, although the vast majority were volunteers who gave their services for free.
Film director Danny Boyle, who masterminded the opening ceremony, dedicated the show to the volunteers.
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David Cameron has "had a peek" at the beach volleyball, which is being played just over the heavily-guarded garden wall of Downing Street.
A Number 10 spokeswoman insisted there was "no direct line of sight" to the Horse Guards Parade venue from any of the windows of the famous Prime Ministerial residence when asked if he had "enjoyed the sight of semi-naked women glistening like otters".
"I don't necessarily think he would sum up the beach volleyball in those terms but I'm sure he will be going out and about and enjoying the sport," she told reporters.
"I think he's probably had a peek."
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Lost property is not usually a priority for the police but they have made an exception when it comes to Britain's first London 2012 heroine.
Cycling silver medallist Lizzie Armitstead's sunglasses fell off during the women's road race and Surrey Police today appealed for their safe return ahead of Wednesday's time trial.
"Lost: 1 pair lucky Oakley sunglasses," Tweeted Surrey police.
"Owner: Lizzie Armitstead. If found, please hand them in. She'd like them back for the TimeTrial on Weds."
NZN / AP / PA / DPA